T
he Boychoir of Ann Arbor was first formed in 1986 to provide a boys’ choir for a production of Bernstein’s Mass celebrating the reopening of the Michigan Theater and in 1987 was formally established as a non-profit choral organization. For over 25 years, the Boychoir has been enriching the lives of boys who love to sing while enhancing the cultural life of the greater Ann Arbor area community. The Boychoir of Ann Arbor was founded by Music Director Dr. Thomas Strode; John Hummel is the Assistant Music Director.
The Boychoir of Ann Arbor provides choral music experience, sophisticated repertoire, and performance opportunities for musical boys ages eight to18 from throughout the greater Ann Arbor area. Each year, the Boychoir presents popular traditional Christmas concerts, as well as sacred music concerts and seasonal concert performances for churches, senior centers, libraries and other public and private events. The Boychoir of Ann Arbor has an extensive repertoire that includes traditional Anglican boychoir works, classical works from the masters, arrangements of traditional folk songs and early American music, as well as contemporary compositions. The Boychoir of Ann Arbor has appeared with many other music organizations including the A2SO, Measure for Measure, Vox Early Music Ensemble, and the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club.
Assistant Music Director John Hummel is a tenor, voice teacher and conductor working in Southeastern Michigan. Mr. Hummel is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.M. in Music Education and Voice Performance and a M.M. in Voice Performance. He has studied performance with Martin Katz, Stephen Lusmann, and Caroline Helton and choral conducting with Paul Rardin and Julie Skadsem. He has performed across the US and in Europe.
Music Director Thomas Strode is a native of Portland, Oregon and came to Ann Arbor to pursue graduate studies with Dr. Marilyn Mason at the University of Michigan where he earned a MM degree and a DMA degree in Organ Performance in 1981. A church musician from the age of 15, he was Organist and Choirmaster of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church from 1977 to 2000. In addition to directing the Boychoir, he is currently Director of Music at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor, where he directs the Adult and Handbell Choirs, as well as teaching the Middle School Choirs and Handchime Ensemble at the church’s day school. As an organ recitalist, Dr. Strode has performed in several states as well as England, France, Spain, and Italy, and was one of four alumni chosen to honor Dr. Mason upon her retirement in a recital at Hill Auditorium in September 2013.
This is the Boychoir’s 7th performance with the A2SO. The Boychoir and A2SO performed together first in 1987 in a celebration concert to open the newly saved Michigan Theater.